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Email A FriendMANHATTAN -- Former Kansas State guard Jacob Pullen has signed a contract to play professionally in Italy, the school announced Tuesday.
Pullen, a two-time All-American, will join Pallacanestro Biella of the Italian League less than two weeks after the NBA lockout began.
The team, also known at Angelico Biella, is based in the town of Biella in northwest Italy. It typically plays 30 regular-season games before an eight-team playoff. Angelic Biella was 11-19 last season in Series A of the Italian League, the highest level of professional basketball in the country.
The team's roster includes four other Americans -- Aubrey Coleman (Houston), Edgar Sosa (Louisville), Marc Salyers (Samford) and A.J. Slaughter (Western Kentucky). Former Michigan State standout Goran Suton is also on the team.
Pullen is K-State's all-time leading scorer with 2,132 points. He led the Wildcats in 12 statistical categories in 2010-11, including scoring (20.2), double-figure scoring games (29), field goals (191), 3-point field goals (74), free throws (170), assists (115), steals (49) and minutes per game (32.6).
He was named to several All-America squads, including the third team by The Associated Press, The Sporting News and Yahoo! Sports, and fourth team by FOXSports.com.
Last season, Pullen led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in his four-year career with a 23-11 overall record, including a tie for third place in the Big 12 with a 10-6 mark.
"Jacob is a player who impressed us with his qualities on both sides of the field of personality and a very close relationship with the public, all characteristics that make a player from Biella," Angelico Biella CEO and general manager Marco Atripaldi said in a press release.
